659:
of "air mechanic", "private" and "clerk" that had been introduced under Air
Memorandum No. 1 in March 1918. There were three grades: leading aircraftman (LAC), aircraftman 1st class (AC1) and aircraftman 2nd class. A similar grading existed for junior ratings in the Royal Navy. The rank of
1027:
711:
in spring 2015 when the RCAF changed the colour of its rank insignia from gold to pearl grey. It is the lowest rank in the RCAF. Prior to 1968 the rank of aircraftman was used in the RCAF as in other
Commonwealth air forces. In August 2020, the rank was changed to aviator.
1038:
925:
A dictionary of slang and unconventional
English : colloquialisms and catch phrases, fossilised jokes and puns, general nicknames, vulgarisms and such Americanisms as have been naturalised
639:
rank code of OR-1. For some time in the RAF it had been a training rank only and no airmen in productive service held the rank. Aircraftmen do not wear any rank insignia. The rank was renamed
667:
The lowest grade was an AC2; also colloquially known as an "AC plonk". With effect from 1 April 1964, the gradings of AC1 and AC2 were abolished, with "aircraftman" becoming the entry rank.
1472:
803:
1457:
1136:
1467:
592:
834:
The spellings "aircraftsman" and "aircraftswoman", despite being occasionally seen even in official documents, are incorrect in any air force.
976:
957:
1462:
35:
932:
1424:
1359:
1354:
1307:
1302:
1261:
1256:
893:
1129:
964:
Air
Ministry Order A.80/1963 of 6 March 1963 replaced the AC1 and AC2 with just 'Aircraftman' with effect from 1 April 1964
1387:
585:
747:
1122:
676:
810:
1088:
851:
721:
340:
1477:
700:
407:
102:
856:
757:
In 2023 the RNZAF adopted the title of ‘aviator(s)’ rather than airman when describing Air Force personnel.
625:
578:
751:
311:
766:
1114:
1149:
688:
288:
97:
1378:
1251:
750:, the rank is known as "aircraftman", regardless of the person's sex, in line with "seaman" in the
632:
515:
431:
1382:
1233:
1063:
778:
661:
510:
250:
169:
145:
140:
878:
1277:
953:
928:
505:
476:
366:
361:
321:
316:
279:
198:
131:
864:
1412:
500:
330:
284:
208:
203:
184:
1417:
1367:
1349:
1297:
1175:
656:
621:
436:
426:
416:
295:
255:
234:
179:
116:
111:
1429:
1392:
1344:
1329:
1324:
1282:
1241:
708:
539:
529:
520:
495:
481:
421:
352:
347:
302:
265:
220:
901:
1451:
1269:
1246:
549:
534:
462:
450:
395:
390:
381:
371:
241:
213:
164:
88:
1396:
1315:
400:
274:
174:
150:
121:
79:
1145:
155:
1224:
950:
Observers and
Navigators: And Other Non-Pilot Aircrew in the RFC, RNAS and RAF
376:
335:
17:
260:
193:
1028:"A Return to the Royal Canadian Air Force Ranks; a Historical Examination"
1407:
1402:
1339:
1334:
1292:
1287:
486:
471:
455:
445:
845:
229:
126:
92:
1096:
1001:
783:
559:
544:
628:
countries. In RAF slang, aircraftmen were sometimes called "erks".
655:
The rank was introduced to the RAF in
January 1919, replacing the
1171:
636:
1118:
624:(RAF) and is still in use by the air forces of several other
526:
492:
468:
461:
442:
413:
406:
387:
358:
327:
308:
301:
271:
247:
226:
219:
190:
161:
137:
108:
85:
78:
45:
844:
703:, the rank is also known by the French term of
977:"Air Force Ranks – Royal Australian Air Force"
894:"Royal Navy Branches, Ranks and Ratings, 1918"
679:also uses both aircraftman and aircraftwoman.
620:) was formerly the lowest rank in the British
1130:
1095:. Air Force of Zimbabwe. 2020. Archived from
586:
8:
927:(8 ed.). London: Routledge. p. 1.
1158:
1137:
1123:
1115:
593:
579:
42:
31:
27:Lowest rank in the British Royal Air Force
881:. RAF News. No. 1540. 15 July 2022.
728:Leading aircraftman (laskar udara kanan)
664:(SAC) was introduced on 1 January 1951.
795:
734:Aircraftman 2nd class (laskar udara II)
647:) in the Royal Air Force in July 2022.
731:Aircraftman 1st class (laskar udara I)
1473:Military ranks of the Royal Air Force
7:
952:. London: Grub Street. p. 285.
865:participating institution membership
737:Aircraftman recruit (perajurit muda)
1388:Air specialist (class 1) technician
1458:Military ranks of the Commonwealth
1037:. 2014. p. 12. Archived from
25:
1468:Former military ranks of Canada
1166:
1008:. BAF Communication Unit. 2020
1:
1093:Air Force of Zimbabwe Website
1089:"RANKS AND BADGES IN THE AFZ"
804:"RAF Distinguishing Insignia"
1006:Bangladesh Air Force Website
724:has four aircraftman ranks:
303:Junior commissioned officers
221:Senior commissioned officers
1463:Military ranks of Australia
748:Royal New Zealand Air Force
1494:
677:Royal Australian Air Force
80:Flag commissioned officers
36:Comparative military ranks
1156:
879:"Junior Ranks Revolution"
852:Oxford English Dictionary
722:Royal Malaysian Air Force
631:Aircraftman ranked below
408:Non-commissioned officers
1383:Air specialist (class 1)
1379:Air specialist (class 2)
923:Partridge, Eric (2000).
765:The rank is used in the
707:. This was changed from
701:Royal Canadian Air Force
687:The rank is used in the
103:Marshal of the air force
1360:Warrant officer class 1
1355:Warrant officer class 2
1308:Warrant officer class 1
1303:Warrant officer class 2
1262:Warrant officer class 1
1257:Warrant officer class 2
1146:Ratings and other ranks
857:Oxford University Press
948:Jefford, C.G. (2010).
752:Royal New Zealand Navy
1064:"RNZAF – RNZAF Ranks"
767:Air Force of Zimbabwe
72:(Commonwealth system)
1150:British Armed Forces
898:www.pbenyon.plus.com
689:Bangladesh Air Force
98:Admiral of the fleet
1252:Chief petty officer
1068:www.airforce.mil.nz
981:www.airforce.gov.au
855:(Online ed.).
633:leading aircraftman
516:Leading aircraftman
432:chief petty officer
1162:
1044:on 21 January 2022
904:on 24 January 2019
779:RAF enlisted ranks
662:senior aircraftman
251:Lieutenant colonel
235:(Ship-of-the-line)
170:divisional general
146:army corps general
141:Lieutenant general
54:(non-Commonwealth)
1445:
1444:
1440:
1439:
1435:
1434:
959:978-1-909808-02-7
863:(Subscription or
603:
602:
570:
569:
367:junior lieutenant
362:Second lieutenant
322:Flight lieutenant
199:brigadier general
132:Air chief marshal
16:(Redirected from
1485:
1413:Chief technician
1167:
1159:
1139:
1132:
1125:
1116:
1109:
1108:
1106:
1104:
1085:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1074:
1060:
1054:
1053:
1051:
1049:
1043:
1032:
1024:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1013:
998:
992:
991:
989:
987:
973:
967:
966:
945:
939:
938:
920:
914:
913:
911:
909:
900:. Archived from
889:
883:
882:
875:
869:
868:
860:
848:
841:
835:
832:
826:
825:
823:
821:
815:
809:. Archived from
808:
800:
595:
588:
581:
501:Lance bombardier
331:First lieutenant
285:Corvette captain
209:flotilla admiral
185:Air vice-marshal
74:
55:
43:
32:
21:
1493:
1492:
1488:
1487:
1486:
1484:
1483:
1482:
1478:Air force ranks
1448:
1447:
1446:
1441:
1436:
1428:
1425:Warrant officer
1418:Flight sergeant
1416:
1386:
1381:
1368:Royal Air Force
1350:Colour sergeant
1348:
1298:Colour sergeant
1238:not applicable
1152:
1143:
1113:
1112:
1102:
1100:
1087:
1086:
1082:
1072:
1070:
1062:
1061:
1057:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1035:rcaf-arc.forces
1030:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1011:
1009:
1000:
999:
995:
985:
983:
975:
974:
970:
960:
947:
946:
942:
935:
922:
921:
917:
907:
905:
892:Perkins, Dave.
891:
890:
886:
877:
876:
872:
862:
843:
842:
838:
833:
829:
819:
817:
816:on 7 March 2017
813:
806:
802:
801:
797:
792:
775:
763:
744:
718:
697:
685:
673:
653:
622:Royal Air Force
599:
563:
558:
543:
538:
533:
519:
504:
499:
475:
437:Warrant officer
430:
427:Warrant officer
420:
417:Warrant officer
375:
365:
346:
342:
334:
296:Squadron leader
290:
278:
259:
256:Frigate captain
236:
207:
197:
180:Counter admiral
178:
168:
144:
120:
117:colonel general
115:
70:
69:
61:
53:
52:
50:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1491:
1489:
1481:
1480:
1475:
1470:
1465:
1460:
1450:
1449:
1443:
1442:
1438:
1437:
1433:
1432:
1430:Master aircrew
1422:
1420:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1393:Lance corporal
1390:
1376:
1371:
1363:
1362:
1357:
1352:
1345:Staff sergeant
1342:
1337:
1332:
1330:Lance corporal
1327:
1322:
1319:
1311:
1310:
1305:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1283:Lance corporal
1280:
1275:
1273:
1265:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1242:Leading rating
1239:
1236:
1231:
1228:
1220:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1176:Service branch
1165:
1163:
1157:
1154:
1153:
1144:
1142:
1141:
1134:
1127:
1119:
1111:
1110:
1099:on 9 June 2022
1080:
1055:
1019:
993:
968:
958:
940:
933:
915:
884:
870:
836:
827:
794:
793:
791:
788:
787:
786:
781:
774:
771:
762:
759:
743:
740:
739:
738:
735:
732:
729:
717:
714:
696:
693:
684:
681:
672:
669:
652:
649:
601:
600:
598:
597:
590:
583:
575:
572:
571:
568:
567:
552:
547:
527:
524:
523:
521:Air specialist
513:
508:
496:Lance corporal
493:
490:
489:
484:
482:Leading seaman
479:
469:
466:
465:
463:Enlisted ranks
459:
458:
453:
448:
443:
440:
439:
434:
424:
422:sergeant major
414:
411:
410:
404:
403:
398:
393:
388:
385:
384:
379:
369:
359:
356:
355:
353:Flying officer
350:
348:sub-lieutenant
338:
328:
325:
324:
319:
314:
309:
306:
305:
299:
298:
293:
282:
272:
269:
268:
266:Wing commander
263:
253:
248:
245:
244:
239:
232:
227:
224:
223:
217:
216:
211:
201:
191:
188:
187:
182:
172:
162:
159:
158:
153:
148:
138:
135:
134:
129:
124:
109:
106:
105:
100:
95:
86:
83:
82:
76:
75:
64:
57:
46:
39:
38:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1490:
1479:
1476:
1474:
1471:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1459:
1456:
1455:
1453:
1431:
1426:
1423:
1421:
1419:
1414:
1411:
1409:
1406:
1404:
1401:
1398:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1384:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1369:
1365:
1364:
1361:
1358:
1356:
1353:
1351:
1346:
1343:
1341:
1338:
1336:
1333:
1331:
1328:
1326:
1323:
1320:
1318:
1317:
1313:
1312:
1309:
1306:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1272:
1271:
1270:Royal Marines
1267:
1266:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1247:Petty officer
1245:
1243:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1226:
1222:
1221:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1177:
1173:
1169:
1168:
1164:
1161:
1160:
1155:
1151:
1147:
1140:
1135:
1133:
1128:
1126:
1121:
1120:
1117:
1098:
1094:
1090:
1084:
1081:
1069:
1065:
1059:
1056:
1040:
1036:
1029:
1023:
1020:
1007:
1003:
997:
994:
982:
978:
972:
969:
965:
961:
955:
951:
944:
941:
936:
934:0-415-06568-2
930:
926:
919:
916:
903:
899:
895:
888:
885:
880:
874:
871:
866:
858:
854:
853:
847:
840:
837:
831:
828:
812:
805:
799:
796:
789:
785:
782:
780:
777:
776:
772:
770:
768:
760:
758:
755:
753:
749:
741:
736:
733:
730:
727:
726:
725:
723:
715:
713:
710:
706:
702:
694:
692:
690:
682:
680:
678:
670:
668:
665:
663:
658:
650:
648:
646:
642:
638:
634:
629:
627:
623:
619:
615:
614:aircraftwoman
611:
607:
596:
591:
589:
584:
582:
577:
576:
574:
573:
566:
561:
556:
553:
551:
548:
546:
541:
536:
531:
528:
525:
522:
517:
514:
512:
509:
507:
502:
497:
494:
491:
488:
485:
483:
480:
478:
473:
470:
467:
464:
460:
457:
454:
452:
451:Petty officer
449:
447:
444:
441:
438:
435:
433:
428:
425:
423:
418:
415:
412:
409:
405:
402:
399:
397:
396:Officer cadet
394:
392:
391:Officer cadet
389:
386:
383:
382:Pilot officer
380:
378:
373:
370:
368:
363:
360:
357:
354:
351:
349:
344:
339:
337:
332:
329:
326:
323:
320:
318:
315:
313:
310:
307:
304:
300:
297:
294:
292:
286:
283:
281:
276:
273:
270:
267:
264:
262:
257:
254:
252:
249:
246:
243:
242:Group captain
240:
238:
233:
231:
228:
225:
222:
218:
215:
214:Air commodore
212:
210:
205:
202:
200:
195:
192:
189:
186:
183:
181:
176:
173:
171:
166:
165:Major general
163:
160:
157:
154:
152:
149:
147:
142:
139:
136:
133:
130:
128:
125:
123:
118:
113:
110:
107:
104:
101:
99:
96:
94:
90:
89:Field marshal
87:
84:
81:
77:
73:
68:
65:
63:
58:
56:
47:
44:
41:
40:
37:
34:
33:
30:
19:
18:Aircraftwoman
1373:
1366:
1316:British Army
1314:
1268:
1223:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1170:
1101:. Retrieved
1097:the original
1092:
1083:
1071:. Retrieved
1067:
1058:
1046:. Retrieved
1039:the original
1034:
1022:
1010:. Retrieved
1005:
996:
984:. Retrieved
980:
971:
963:
949:
943:
924:
918:
906:. Retrieved
902:the original
897:
887:
873:
850:
839:
830:
818:. Retrieved
811:the original
798:
764:
756:
745:
719:
704:
698:
686:
674:
666:
654:
644:
640:
630:
626:Commonwealth
617:
613:
609:
605:
604:
564:
554:
401:Flight cadet
343:junior grade
175:Rear admiral
151:Vice admiral
122:army general
71:
66:
62:coast guards
59:
48:
29:
1374:Air recruit
1234:Able seaman
1103:13 December
1012:13 December
1002:"BAF RANKS"
742:New Zealand
641:air recruit
606:Aircraftman
555:Aircraftman
511:Able seaman
156:Air marshal
51:air forces
1452:Categories
1225:Royal Navy
867:required.)
683:Bangladesh
635:and has a
506:Specialist
477:bombardier
377:midshipman
341:Lieutenant
336:lieutenant
317:Lieutenant
289:Lieutenant
280:commandant
67:Air forces
1202:OR-5/OR-6
790:Footnotes
671:Australia
291:commander
261:Commander
204:Commodore
194:Brigadier
1408:Sergeant
1403:Corporal
1397:RAF Regt
1340:Sergeant
1335:Corporal
1321:Recruit
1293:Sergeant
1288:Corporal
1230:Recruit
1174:grade /
1073:2 August
1048:2 August
986:2 August
773:See also
761:Zimbabwe
716:Malaysia
705:aviateur
487:Corporal
472:Corporal
456:Sergeant
446:Sergeant
60:Navies,
1325:Private
1148:of the
820:7 March
746:In the
709:private
699:In the
651:History
565:aviator
540:trooper
530:Private
312:Captain
237:Captain
230:Colonel
127:Admiral
112:General
93:Marshal
49:Armies,
1399:only)
1278:Marine
956:
931:
908:14 May
784:Airman
695:Canada
560:airman
550:Seaman
545:sapper
535:gunner
372:Ensign
1042:(PDF)
1031:(PDF)
861:
846:"erk"
814:(PDF)
807:(PDF)
657:ranks
612:) or
275:Major
1217:OR-9
1212:OR-8
1207:OR-7
1197:OR-4
1192:OR-3
1187:OR-2
1182:OR-1
1172:NATO
1105:2020
1075:2017
1050:2017
1014:2020
988:2017
954:ISBN
929:ISBN
910:2017
822:2017
720:The
675:The
637:NATO
618:ACW
345:or
287:or
91:or
1454::
1091:.
1066:.
1033:.
1004:.
979:.
962:.
896:.
849:.
769:.
754:.
691:.
645:AR
610:AC
562:or
557:or
542:or
537:or
532:or
518:or
503:or
498:or
474:or
429:or
419:or
374:or
364:or
333:or
277:or
258:or
206:or
196:or
177:or
167:or
143:or
119:or
114:or
1427:/
1415:/
1395:(
1385:/
1347:/
1138:e
1131:t
1124:v
1107:.
1077:.
1052:.
1016:.
990:.
937:.
912:.
859:.
824:.
643:(
616:(
608:(
594:e
587:t
580:v
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.